PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Axel Steel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kahn Poppason (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Steel comes into the arena with Riot blaring out of the sound system. Poppason has chosen Mortal Kombat Theme as his entrance music. Axel Steel has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Steel
vs
Poppason

175 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

155 cm
23
145 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Axel Steel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kahn Poppason!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Taro Takaoka and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Poppason.

Steel shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Poppason manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Poppason has a closed guard, preventing Steel from standing up.
Steel throwing strikes but missing.
Steel wants to stand and escape but instead Poppason has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Steel has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Poppason off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Steel tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Steel gets the takedown into side control.

Steel is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Poppason has escaped the position, nice work there.
Poppason sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Steel with the ground and pound but Poppason uses the opportunity to regain guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Steel wants to stand and escape but instead Poppason has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Poppason stops Steel from standing up.
Steel is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Poppason gets to his feet - Steel follows without any prompting.
Poppason misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Steel takes the fight into the clinch.

Poppason turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Steel is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Poppason off and has taken his back!

Steel is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Poppason has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Poppason should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Steel is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Poppason has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Poppason showing good submission defense here.
Poppason manages to reverse the position and now he's in Steel's guard. Nice work there by Poppason.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Poppason gets to his feet - Steel follows without any prompting.
Steel throws a right hand that Poppason ducks under and follows up with a left that Poppason also avoids with ease.
Poppason scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Poppason throws a series of punches but Steel avoids them all with ease.
Poppason throws a nice looking combination but Steel bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Steel looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Poppason!
Steel thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Steel prevents Poppason from getting the reversal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Axel Steel dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Poppason swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Axel Steel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Steel changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Poppason looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Steel tries to get to his feet but Poppason is in the middle of advancing position himself and ends up with Steel in his guard.
Steel wanted to stand there but Poppason had control of the position.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Poppason holds on and takes a little breather.
Steel wants to get up but he can't break Poppason's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Steel postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Poppason is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Steel, into his guard.
Steel is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Axel Steel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Poppason decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Steel, up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Steel feints and as Poppason raises his hands in defense, Steel changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Steel being controlled here momentarily.
Poppason manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Poppason can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Steel is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Poppason is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poppason lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Steel circles away quickly and effectively.

Steel decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Steel is looking to pass Poppason's guard but actually Poppason recovers to full guard.
Steel looking to sit in guard and control but Poppason gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Poppason stops Steel from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Poppason gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Poppason throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Poppason throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Steel wants to clinch up but Poppason keeps it at a distance.
Steel avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kahn Poppason is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Steel closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Steel lands in his opponent's guard.
Steel knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Poppason on the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Steel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Poppason is keeping the position for now.
Steel has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Steel missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Axel Steel dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Steel clinches.
Steel stops a takedown attempt from Poppason.

Steel has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Poppason is trying to keep an underhook but Steel manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Steel seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Poppason is refusing to be controlled, as Steel sits in half guard.
Steel is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Poppason is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Steel throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Poppason to regain full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poppason bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Steel's guard.

Poppason decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Steel, up you get!
Steel slips a jab and a cross from Poppason.
Poppason throws a nice looking combination but Steel bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Steel shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Steel stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Steel is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Poppason's half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Steel with the ground and pound but Poppason uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Poppason is proving hard to escape from.
Poppason has control of Steel's left arm, preventing Steel from doing any damage.
Poppason keeping moving, preventing Steel from controlling successfully.

We're going to have a standup here because Axel Steel wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Poppason swinging wildly here.
Steel doesn't manage to clinch there - Poppason circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Steel looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Poppason blocking the ground and pound attempt from Steel.
Steel wants to stand up but Poppason has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Steel is looking to stall here but Poppason recovers full guard.
Steel trying to control the position from guard on top but Poppason is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kahn Poppason has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Axel Steel wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Poppason throws a nice looking combination but Steel bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Steel shoots in and gets a takedown into Poppason's guard.
Axel Steel is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Poppason is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Steel is aware though and is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Axel Steel showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Steel has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Axel Steel!
A victorious Axel Steel thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.